Button blank lathe



Feb. 2, 1932. H, H, KNQTT 1,843,326

BUTTON BLANK LATHE Filed April so, 1929 :s sheets-sheet l Feb. 2, 1932. H H, KNQTT 1,843,326

BUTTON BLANK LATHE l Vl Hungry/gaf Feb. 2, 1932.'r H. H. KNOTT 1,843,326

BUTTON BLANK LATI-IE Filed April 50.. 1929 5 Sheets-Shee'rl 5 /J t .'J.

Patented Feb. 2, 1932 unirse slr Esi.

PATNT HARRY 'Hi'.KNOTTfOF "WASHING'TON;v IOWA,.AS`SIGNOR"TO AMERICAN PEARL BUTTON COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, IOWA l BUTTON BLANK LATI-IE Application led April 30',v 1929. Serial No. 3521,323.V

vide abuttoniblank lathe in whicha tubular l drive shaft is rotatably mounted'and carries a tubular saw,y a shellholder or support being mounted on the slidable shaft and adapted to cause a shellto engagelthe rotating saw when such shaft is slid longitudinally.

Still a further object of the invention is to provideiwithin the tubular drive shaft and within the tubular saw a .liquid conducting pipe adapted to lconduct a liquid, such as water, anddischargeit againstthe inner sur-l face of the'tubular saw to prevent the. same' froln overheatingjwhileA sawing a' button blankfrom a'shell;

Still a further object is tooperatively connect the liquid pipe withthe shellsupporting" shaft, whereby it may be raised'a'nd. lowered with'the'..sha`ft"'to act as ablank extractory when'being 'loweredjby engaging the blank within'the saw and .pushing it outwardly therefrom.

Still 'a further object is to provide a shell" holder mounted' adjacent the'saw to engage the shell as itis being'move'd tosawing position, and thereby preventrotation ofthe shell so that it can easily beheld by hand and tongs will not have to beI provided for it.

Still ,another object is to provide amoditied vform .of construction4 in which spring tension is imposed upon the liquid. pipe for causing ittofactas a blankholder toprevent rangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated'are attained, as hereinafter more:

fully'set forth, pointed out inmy claims, and

illustratedyinlthe' accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a plan'view of my improved type of button brlanlr'lathe.`

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, loolringsin the direction of the arrow 2 ade jacent Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, illustrating part of the device in front elevation.

' Figurea is a sectional lview on the line 1 -4 of Figure.

Figure is an enlarged sectional view 0n thev line 5-5 of FigureV 3, illustrating a clutch -used in connection with my device. y

Figure 6v is' a front elevation partly in section of Figure ,3, illustrating a shell being g raisedby the shell support and engaged b the shellholden` c c y Figure 7 similar view showing a button blank-being cut froml the shell.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the i shell `being, retracted from the shell holder.

.Figure 9 is a similar view showing the liq-V uid pipe extracting the button blank from the tubular saw.

Figure 10 is a modified form of construction, illustrating a portion of the upper end of the lathe; and

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view through the lower end of the tubular drive shaft and the tubular saw.

On the accompanying drawings, I have"` used the reference numeral v10 to indicate a base. Secured to the base 10 areforward'upright posts 12, and 14; anda rear post 16. Secured to the tops of the posts 12, 14 and- 16 .is a frame member 18, substantially T shaped as clearly shown in Figure l. Y

Supported on the posts 12, 14 and `16 between the framemember 18 andthe base 10 is a plurality of frame members 20, 22 and 24.V The frame member 22 is similar to the frame,- member 18 while the frame members 20 and 24 merely extend from the post 12 tothe post'l. ylhc frame members 20, 22

and 24 are secured to the posts 12, 14 and 16 clutch member 32 is slidably mounted on the sleeve and keyed against rotation relative thereto by a key 34. A flange 86 is formed on the drive shaft 28 and a thrust bearing 38 interposed between such flange and the upper bearing rilhe sleeve 80 is secured on the shaft 28 in such position as to be close to the lower bearing 26.

Rotatable on the shaft 28 between the sleeve 30 and the flange 86 is a stepped or cone pulley 40. rlhe cone pulley is provided with a clutch surface 42 adapted to coact with the clutch 32. A plurality of three springs 44 are interposed between a flange on the sleeve 80 and the clutch member 32 to normally cause the clutch member to engage the clutch surface 42 of the cone pulley 40.

For causing disengagement of the clutch member 82 from the clutch surface 42, l provide a clutch yoke 46 best shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. The clutch yoke 46 has a pair of pins 48 adapted to engage flange 50 on the clutch member 82. The clutch yoke 46 is secured to a pin 52 pivoted in a bracket 54. lhe clutch yoke 46 has a. downwardly eX- tending arm 56 adapted to loe engaged by a set screw 58 whereby a partial turn of the hand wheel 60 on the set screw 58 will disengage the clutch member 32 from the cone pulley 40.

A drive belt 62 is adapted to coact with the pulley 40 for rotating the shaft 28 and runs over the idler pulleys 64. The idler pulleys 64 are rotatably supported on a shaft 66 secured to a bracket 68. rlhe bracket 68 is secured to the post 16 by a set screw 70, whereby the idler pulleys 64 may be lowered when the belt 62 is mace to coact with another of the steps of the cone pulley 40.

The frame members 22 and 24 are provided with bearings 7 2 in which is slidably mcunted a tubular supportingshaft 7 4. The shaft 74 has screw threadedly mounted in the upper end thereof a shell supporting head 76. Within the head 76 a shell engaging plug 78 made of wood or the like is mounted. A rod 80 is screw threaded into the head 76 whereby it may be adjusted relative thereto to cause raising or lowering of the plug Z8 relative to the head 76. A set screw 82 iS carried by the shell supporting shaft 74 for engagement with the rod 80 as desired for adjustment purposes, hereinafter to be more fully described.

Journaled in the lower end of the shaft .7 4 is a roller 84. Journaled in bearings 86 on the base 10 is a cam shaft 88 having a cam 90 secured to one end thereof to coact with the roller 84. A fitting` 92 is secured to the other end ofthe cam shaft 88 and a lever 94 extends from the fitting 92. rlhe lever 94 is provided with a handle 96. A stop 98 may be provided on the frame member 24 to limit the movement of the lever 94 in one direction. Slidably mounted in arms 100 is a drive rod 102.

The arms 100 are secured to the post 14. The drive rod 102 is operatively connected with the shell supporting shaft 7 4 by means of an arm 104.

1n connection with the drive shaft 28, l 'provide a tubular saw 106 having teeth 108. rihe saw 106 is secured by means of a coupling 110 to a sleeve 112 having an internally tapered bore 114. The bore 114 is adapted to be forced on a fitting 116 .screwed to the lower end of the tubular drive shaft 28, as best shown in Figure 11. The sleeve 112 is provided with overflow openings 118, the purpose of which will hereinafter be set forth. The sleeve 112 is provided with a notch 120 adapted to receive a drive pin 122 projecting from the fitting 116 (see Figure 11).

lt may here be mentioned that the type of saw which l provide is easily aligned by an unskilled operator, since it is merely necessary to .slip the sleeve 112 over the fitting 116 and push it up far enough to make a tight fit between the tapered surfaces as shown in Figure 11. l/Vith the type of saw heretofore, used, the saw had to be placed on the saw shaft and. then accurately adjusted by a skilled operator in order to get the saw to run true. ln my construction the fitting 116 and the sleeve 112 having tapered coacting surfaces will always cause proper alignment of the sleeve 112 relative to the saw-shaft 28 when the two tapered surfaces are caused to coact with cach other. The lower end of the sleeve 112 is square with the axis of the sleeve and the upper end of the saw 106 is similarly square whereby the two ends abutting` each other will cause the saw 106 to run true with the sleeve 112. The coupling 110 allows for connecting the saw and the sleeve in such a way that the upper end of the .saw and the lower end of the sleeve may be tightly screwed against each other. lt may here be stated that these saws become dull and require resharpening and resetting about .every fifteen minutes of operation. One of the main objectives of my saw is that unskilled labor can be employed for cutting the blanks, and one skilled machinist may be employed for resharpeninpl and resetting the saws for a great number of unskilled operators.

Within the tubular shaft 28 an d extending through the fitting 116, the sleeve 112 and the saw 106, I provide a liquid pipe 124. A plug 126 is mounted in the lower end of the liquid pipe 124 and is provided with notches 128. Discharge openings are provided to conduct liquid from the pipe 124 into the notches 128 and then against the interior surface of the saw 106 when the saw is cutting a button blank.

Adjacent the saw 106 I provide a shell holder consisting of a pair of blades 132 having teeth 184. The blades 132 are held by an arm 136 which in turn is secuied to an arm 138 formed on a threaded sleeve 140. The

sleeve140'hasthreaded thereon a sleeve 142 having arstop flange 144. The stop Vflange 144-1normally engages anV arm 146 secured to the post 14.- Such engagement'is causedby a spring 14.8 interposed between the arm 138 and the arm 100. Y

The'upper end of the 'liquid pipe 124 is operatively connected by means of an arm 150 with the drive rod 102. rThe arm 150 is split as indicated at 152 a'ndmay be clamped to'the pipe 124by-ineans ofa set screw 154 having a. hand wheel 156. A stop nut 158 is mounted onthe pipe 124 above the arm 150.

The liquid pipe 124 is connected by means of flexible hose160 to a source of water supply. A valve 162 may he provided for controlling the supply of liquid and this valve may be supported by a T 164 and nipple 166 threaded into a boss 168 which acts as ay cap for it. A supply pipe is indicated at 170.

In Figure 10 of the drawings I have shown a modified form of construction in which the upper end of the pipe 124 is provided with a stop nut 172 adapted to engage a bracket 174. A spring 176 is mounted on the pipe 124 and interposed between the bracket 174 and a collar 178 which is secured to the pipe 124. In using this type of connection the arm 150 is dispensed with. rllie lower surface of a plug 126e (corresponding to the plug 126 in the other figures of the drawings) is provided with teeth 180.

Pract/cal operation In the operation of my device a shell 182 is placed on the shell supporting plug 78 as best shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The handle 96 is then grasped by the operator and the lever 94 swung in the direction of the arrow 184 (see Figure 2). rIhis causes the roller 84 which is resting on the lower portion 90a to climb the incline 90b thereby raising the supporting shaft 74 and the shell engaging plug 78 to the position shown in Figure 6. In such position the shell 182 is engaging the shell holder blades 132. Further movement of the lever 94 will cause the plug 78 to be forced further upwardly whereupon the shell holder blades 132, the arms 136 and 138 and the sleeves 140 and 142 will be raised against the action of the spring 148, as shown in Figure 7. In such position the stop collar 144 leaves the stop arm 146 and the shell is brought in Contact with t-he saw teeth 108 whereby a. blank 186 is cut by the tubular saw.

This is the highest position of the plug 78 and in such position the high portion 900 of the cam 90 engages the roller 84.

During the upward movement of the supporting shaft 74 the liquid pipe 124 has also been raised through the arm 104, drive rod 102 and the arm 150. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the shell 182 andthe blank 186 thereof will not be engaged by the plug 126 in the l lower end of the pipe 124. After the blank movedv downwardly and engages the blank 182 as shown in Figure 8. Further downward movement of the plug 78 as shown in Figure 9fwill cause complete ejection of the blank 186 from the saw and the shell may now loe moved to position for cutting another blank.

VI/Vater is supplied to the plug 126 while the machine is running and therefore lubricates and cools the saw 106. During the finishing of the cutting ef the blank in the event that the blank 186 plugs up the saw so that the water can not trickle down through the teeth thereof, the water will back up and overflow k through the openings 118 in the sleeve112.

In Figure 10 I have illustrated a modified form of construction in which the water pipe 124 is held down by a spring 176 and is not connected with the drive rod'102. Thus upward movement of the shell engaging'plug 78 will cause the shell to engage the toothed end 180 of the plug 126@ before the shell engages the saw 108 and such toothed end 180 will prevent rotation of the button blank 186 with the saw after the blank has been severed from the shell due to the spring 176 causing such engagement between the toothed end 180 of the plug 126@ and the blank 186. Vhen the plug is moved downwardly the plug 12664 and the spring 176 act to eject the button blank from the saw. In the use of the modificaticn of Figure 10, the plug 126a'is used together with the shell holder, each performing its own function.

The plug 7 8is made preferably' of wood and may be adjusted hy turning the head 76 1 so that when the 'cam roller engages the'raised portion 900 of the cam 90, it will just touch the teeth of the saw. This wears the end of the pluga'way somewhat andthe head 76 may be periodically readjusted as desired. Vhen the head 76 isso high that it is nearly out of the shaft 74, the set screw 82 may be tightened and the head 76 screwed downwardly whereupon the sleeve portion of the head 76 around the rod will be screwed downwardly on the rod 80. This will cause upward. movement of the plug 7 8'relative to the head'76 wliereafter the set screw 82 may he loosened and the'head 76 manipulated for raising the plug`78 as desired.

When it is desirable to remove the saw 106 for sharpening or the like, the set screw 154 may be loosed by turning the hand wheel 156 and the pipe 124 raised to be out of the way. The arm' 136 having the shell holder blades 132 thereon may be swung rearwardly since the forin of the opening through which the saw extends is substantially UVv shaped ffl as shown in dotted lines in Figure f1. The lever 94 may be pulled forwardly onto the floor thereby allowing the head 76 to be lowered considerably. The saw may now be removed and another placed in position after which the cam lever 94 may be returned to its original position and the saine may be done to the arm 136, thereafter the set screw 154 may be manipulated for allowing` the stop nut 158 to engage the arm 150 wliereafter the set screw 154 may be retightened.

In connection with my machine I provide a tray 187 to catch the button blanks and a chute 188 is provided on the tray 18',7 for discharging the blanks therefrom and into a suitable receptacle.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonablyiucluded within their scope.

.I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a revolving tubular drive shaft carried thereby, a saw on said shaft, a work support movably mounted on said frame, a liquid pipe within said drive shaft and saw, a drive rod slidably mounted on said frame, said liquid pipe and said work support being, operatively connected with said drive rod, a worl holder slidably mounted on said drive rod, a springl on said drive rod interposed between said worl holder and a portion of said frame and means for moving` said work support and the parts operatively connected therewith.

2. In a. machine of the character described, a frame, a revolving' tubular drive shaft carried thereby, a saw on said shaft, a work supn port movably mounted on said frame, a liquid pipe within said drive shaft and saw, a drive rod slidably mounted on said frame, said liquid pipe and said work support being` operatively connected with said drive rod, a work holder slidably mounted on said drive rod, a spring` on said drive rod interposed between said work holder and a portion of said frame and a stop on said frame against which said work holder normally rests.

3. In a machine of the character disclosed, a frame, a revolving tubular drive shaft carried thereby, a saw on said shaft, a work support movably mounted on said frame, an ej ector rod within said drive shaft, a drive rod slidably mounted relative to said frame, said ejector rod and said Work support being operatively connected with said drive rod, a work holder slidably mounted on said drive rod, a spring on said drive rod interposed between said work holder and a portion of said frame and means for moving said Work support and the parts operatively connected therewith.

1. In a machine of the character disclosed, a frame, a revolving tubular drive shaft carried thereby, a saw on said shaft, a work support movably mounted on said frame, an ejector' rod within said drive shaft, a drive rod slidably mounted relative to said frame, said ejector rod and said work support being operatively connected with said drive rod, a work holder slidably mounted on said drive rod, a spring on said drive rod interposed between said worl; holder and a portion of said frame and a stop on said frame against Which said Work holder normally rests.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 6, 1929.

HARRY H. KNOTT. 

